IT'S no surprise that no one from Fir Park is featuring against the World Champions this weekend. A rank start to the season for the Scots in the squad has ensured that.

While accustomed to Motherwell players being overlooked, there was no shock at the lack of Fir Parkers in the latest Scotland squad.

You have to go back to 2008 for the last time a Well player took to the pitch for Scotland. David Clarkson made two sub appearances in front of the Tartan Army, scoring on his debut against the Czech Republic in a spring-time friendly.

Trailing 2-0 to a Czech squad full of big names like Petr Cech, Jan Koller, Milan Baros and Rudi Skacel, young Clarky was sent in to the fray by George Burley to prove he could cut it at a level above the SPL.

He couldn't have started his Scotland career any better.

In the 83rd minute, The Well hitman showed a great touch to cushion Shaun Maloney's fizzed cross from the left wing at the edge of the Czech six yard box.

That control gave Clarkson space to pivot and fire low past Cech from eight yards, halving the deficit and showcasing his talent on the international stage.

The hosts then scuppered any hope of a Scottish comeback, going up the park and scoring to make it 3-1, before they went on to Austria and Switzerland for Euro 2008.

With no such competition for the Scots, it wouldn't be until a friendly with Diego Maradona's Argentina in November that year that Clarkson would turn out in dark blue again. Coming on as a 67th minute sub to make his Hampden bow, he couldn't recreate his exploits of earlier in the year.

Those involved for the opposition that night included Carlos Tevez, Maxi Rodriguez and Lionel Messi, all of whom have reached great heights in the game in the last six years.

Fortune has not favoured Clarkson quite as much. That November night was his second and final cap, leading only to a move down south to Bristol City.

Rumours of him signing on with Barry Ferguson's Clyde as a free agent have surfaced since the transfer window closed on Monday, but Broadwood is surely not where anyone envisaged him ending up before he turned 30.

If he does find a team, it's unlikely he'll reach the heights that were hoped, but will no doubt be cheering on Scotland in Germany, all the while reminiscing of his solitary Scotland strike.